


The Mix Up

by QueenOfTheMerryMen



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Hood-Mills Family, OQ Prompt Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 13:45:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18993823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfTheMerryMen/pseuds/QueenOfTheMerryMen
Summary: After a "mix-up" at her fertility clinic, Regina discovers the child she never knew and tries to figure out what to do next. For oq prompt pary, prompt #110: Roland is secretly Regina's biological child.





	The Mix Up

“Did you just say ‘mix up’? Is that how you’d describe this situation?”  
  
The fertility specialist tilted her head, helplessly. “I am so sorry Ms. Mills.”  
  
Regina just stared at her blankly, trying to take stock of all the emotions swirling inside of her and doing everything possible not to explode or collapse. A soft breath fell from her lips as her son, Henry, squirmed in her arms. She looked down at him, like seeing him for the first time again. That nose, that curious nose that didn’t belong to her or Daniel. And those ears, those cute ears that they used to joke had to be a gift from God because they certainly didn’t come from either of them. And his eyes, that were so similar to his father that there was no way they could’ve come from anyone else. She looked at his face and saw the truth staring back at her.  
  
There was no piece of her that made it to him.  
  
She sucked in a sharp breath, holding him closer. “How did you let this happen?”  
  
Her voice quaked with anger and fear and everyone in the room shuddered. The fertility specialist glanced over her shoulder at the lawyer standing in the corner of her office, as if asking him for permission to continue. He nodded and she spoke. “The day that we harvested your eggs, two other women came in as well. Due to circumstances that we are still investigating… your eggs were mislabeled. And so were theirs. We were unaware of the situation until it was far too late.”  
  
“Far too late?” Regina hissed. “Does that-” She paused trying to rein in her emotions. “Does that mean before the embryos were created?”  
  
The specialist nodded. “According to the test that we’ve run it appears that Henry is biologically your husband’s child… but he is not biologically yours.”  
  
A lump the size of a golf ball grew in her throat. She blinked away tears as it slowly washed over her that she had been raising another woman’s child for the past two years, that she grew someone else’s blood in her own body. Every kick that she marveled over, all the pain she went through in labor, giving nightly baths, reading bedtime stories, days at the park, christmases and holidays, onesies and plans, kisses and the hugs she’d given… to a baby that wasn’t actually hers. This couldn’t be happening.  
  
Henry babbled a small mama and she looked down at him again. Her heart swelled with pain.  
  
Does this mean she loses him?  
  
“Who…” she softly whispered, barely able to speak. “Whose eggs did you give me?”  
  
“A young college student came in that day to anonymously donate to our egg bank,” the lawyer gently answered. “She has not been contacted and legally she has no rights. If this news doesn’t change anything for you…”  
  
“This news changes everything!” she fiercely gritted out.  
  
The lawyer nodded, ashamed. “I understand but it is to say that Henry is still legally yours in every way. If you want to continue raising him… legally no one can stand in your way.”  
  
Regina couldn’t help letting out a sigh relief as she ran her fingers through Henry’s hair. He’s still your son, she thought. In instant she had decided. Henry was her son, genetics be damned. She would never let him go. But there were other things to consider as well.  
  
“What about my eggs?” she asked. “Were they-were they used?”  
  
The specialist nodded. “Your eggs were used by another couple and resulted in one viable pregnancy but we haven’t been able to locate them.”  
  
Stiffly sitting in her chair, Regina took three deep heavy breaths. She could just leave it alone. They were just eggs, she told herself. Small piles of genetic DNA. She could just let it go. Leave this office, focus on her life with Henry and get past all this without complications, without involving anyone else. It would be easy. It would be best. It would be… impossible.  
  
She had to know.  
  
“What’s the couple’s name?”  
  
\------------------------------------------------  
  
It was a lovely day to go to the park. The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming and the birds were out. The forecast said it was a breezy 75 degrees. Warm enough for shirts and tees, but not so hot that the plastic slides would burn your skin. In any case Regina had opted for the swings that day. Gently pushing Henry back and forth, she surveyed the park searching for the two people she hoped would show up.    
  
The fertility clinic claimed to be unable to contact the couple who’d received her eggs but given recent revelations she found herself quite unwilling to trust them to handle things. They’d probably just screw things up again. No, she had her own resources, her own people that she trusted. So she took things into her own hands.  
  
The Lockselys. That was their name.  
  
She’d sunk thousands of dollars into a private investigator and, after a few weeks, they were able to dig up an address, among other things. The Lockselys were a decently stable couple. The husband owned a business, the woman worked as a museum curator. They’d moved a few towns over, closer to family if her private eye was to believed. They’d wanted a better support system… for when the baby was born.  
  
The wife had given birth 10 months, two weeks, and six days ago. She’d had a boy. Regina had stopped reading after that, but she couldn’t stop thinking of him. Of the baby boy with her DNA just living out there. She had to know he was okay.  
  
That’s why she was here, in this park. The same park the investigator told her the father frequented with his son every Saturday.  
  
She thought she must look insane, standing at the swings with her head on a swivel, searching for the two of them. Guiltily, she gave Henry another push. Poor boy. Though he appeared to be having the time of his life, she knew she hadn’t been giving him nearly enough attention.  
  
Suddenly, from across the park, she saw him. The husband. Blonde with blue eyes, a little more scruff than she’d been prepared for but it was definitely him. He pushed a stroller ahead of him at a leisurely pace, heading down the sidewalk to the edge of the park. She watched him walk by, stunned.  Her jaw fell as she watched him pull his son out of the stroller - matching grins on both their faces - and kiss him on the cheek before setting him down in the sandbox.  
  
She’d pulled Henry out of the swing before she’d even realized it.  
  
Heart thudding in her chest, she walked him over to the sandbox, feeling more and more uncertain with every step.  
  
“Mind if we join you?” The man looked up at her, an easy smile on his face and she faltered. “I, uh - forgot my son’s sand toys at home.”  
  
He nodded, unbothered. “Of course not,” he happily replied. “Roland is more than capable of sharing.”  
  
Regina carefully sank to her knees in the sandbox, setting Henry down, her eyes never leaving the baby boy that sat across from him. Excitedly slapping a yellow sand shovel against a plastic bucket, he sent her a toothless grin paired with a happy laugh that sent her heart fluttering. “Roland?”  
  
“Yes, my son,” said his father, lovingly patting him on the back. “I know the name is a bit old fashioned but his mother was a history buff.”  
  
“I think it’s a wonderful name,” she replied, desperately trying to keep her voice from trembling. He looked beautiful. His hair fell against the crown of his head in this dark curls that she recognized from her own baby pictures. And his eyes were a deep chocolate brown, just as her father’s had been. The dimples in his cheeks clearly came from his father though, and she realized that the two of them were indeed biologically related. The fertility clinic had warned her of this but it hadn’t hit until that moment. Genetically speaking, she had a baby with a stranger.  
  
She noticed him staring at her expectantly and finally pulled her gaze away from his son. Clearing her throat, she gestured toward her own. “This is my son Henry.”  
  
“Henry?” He nodded his head appreciatively. “Don’t meet too many of those at this age.”  
  
She forced herself to chuckle, good-naturedly. “Well it was my father’s name, so it is a bit of an antique.”  
  
“I like it,” he said. Holding out his hand, he introduced himself. “My name is Robin. Robin Locksely, if you’re feeling formal.”  
  
“Always am,” she replied, shaking his hand. “I’m Regina… Ortiz.”  
  
The lie fell from her lips like sugar. She hadn’t intended to use a fake name but she also hadn’t intended to talk with him. It was probably for the best though. Turning her face back toward the boys, she watched him from the corner of her eye. His hair was a sandy blonde, cut a little shorter than the pictures the investigator had shown her. He was dressed casual - plain green tee and jeans - but she could tell by the fabric his clothes were of good quality. He looked… kind. Perhaps it was wishful thinking but she could feel something very genuine about him.  
  
Roland looked very well cared for, too. His cheeks were red and chubby. His clothes - a pair of cargo shorts and a onesie with cute little ducks - were clean and not holely at all. Most importantly, he seemed happy. Very full of energy and very engaged with his father. Regina didn’t see Robin take his eyes off Roland once, he played with him and talked with him. He didn’t seem the least bit bored, not like some of the other parents at the park. They looked happy together but she knew looks could only tell her so much.  
  
“So…” she ventured. “How old is Roland?”  
  
“He is nearly 11 months old,” Robin proudly answered. “Has learned to walk a bit but we’re still struggling with words at the moment.”  
  
“Oh,” she nodded her head, understandingly. “Henry barely said a word to me until he was 15 months. Then he just wouldn’t stop talking.”  
  
She laughed easily then, remembering the month when he’d first called her mama and how quickly that thrill had worn off when she’d realized he would continue to call her mama every ten minutes.  
  
“Good to know,” chuckled Robin. “It’s nice to have something to look forward to. This first year has been a little bit much.”  
  
“Well, I’d love to lie to you and say it gets easier but I have an example to set,” she quipped, gesturing toward Henry once more. And what an example I’m setting, she thought to herself. Stalking a man and striking up a conversation with him at the park. Certainly not my finest hour.  
  
She took a deep breath and tried to shake away her negative thoughts. “But it can nice if you’ve got the right help. You’re married, right?” she said. Robin stared at her silently and she quickly covered her tracks. “I just noticed the wedding ring…’  
  
Robin’s eyes dropped down to his left hand, where a gold band resided on his ring finger. He touched it gently. “Right. I um… well, I was married. Roland’s mother died the day he was born.”  
  
Regina’s chest went tight. Nobody had told her that. Helplessly shaking her head, she tried to figure out what to say. “I… I’m sorry-”  
  
“You know I really don’t like to talk about it,” Robin sharply cut her off. He hung his head and sighed before softly continuing. “I’m sorry I just… I would really rather not.”  
  
“It’s okay,” she replied. “I get it.”  
  
The two of them sat in silence for a moment, the heaviness of what Robin had just revealed hanging over them. Regina watched their sons play in the sand, scooping it up and filling buckets. It was such a mess. All of it… it was just… a mess. She looked at Roland, trying not to let the lump in her throat grow any bigger. Another woman had died to bring him into this world, a responsibility that should’ve rested on her shoulders. Who knows how differently things would’ve turned out if…  
  
She can’t even finish that thought. It’s too complicated. It just wasn’t supposed to be like this. It really wasn’t.  
  
“I get it,” she repeats, turning to him with sympathetic eyes. “Henry’s father… he passed away when Henry was four months old.”  
  
Robin’s eyes went wide. “I’m sorry.”  
  
“Everyone is,” she softly replied. “Everyone is always so very sorry.” She shrugged. “Didn’t stop it hurting though.”  
  
“No it doesn’t,” he agreed. Looking toward his son, he sighed. “I love him so much and I don’t regret him, not for a minute but…”  
  
“You just didn’t expect to be alone,” she finished, nodding her head understandingly. “You go on this journey with someone, try to make a family together and you plan things like who’s going work and who’s going to stay home, and who’s going to be the disciplinarian and who gets to be the softie and out of nowhere…”  
  
“It turns out to be just you,” he replied, knowingly. Robin sadly shook his head. “It’s all on me and I just didn’t see it coming.”  
  
“Yeah… a lot of things have been sneaking up on me like that lately,” she replied, under her breath. So many nights, she’s wondered what Daniel would think of their situation. How he’d feel, how he’d handle things. What he’d think of the way she’s handling things. Perhaps he’d be disappointed.  
  
“Maybe it’s sad...but I can’t help but be grateful for him,” Robin whispered. “I mean if I was destined to lose her at least she left me the most amazing parting gift. Roland reminds me  of his mother so much.”  
  
Regina pressed her lips together. “I bet.”  
  
Robin smiles, wistfully. “I’d show you a photo if I could but he just looks so much like her. I used to think that it would make it harder but it’s actually the biggest comfort. No matter what… I still have a piece of her.”  
  
Feeling her heart crack into hundreds of pieces, Regina suddenly stood to her feet. “I have to go.”  
  
Robin’s eyes went wide, watching her swiftly gather up Henry. “Oh...okay.” He hesitated before adding, “I’m sorry.”  
  
Regina went still, staring back at him. “What for?”  
  
He shrugged, unsure. “I just… I know things got a little heavy for the park.”  
  
“No,” she immediately shook her head. “That’s not true. It’s just…” She sighed. “I thought that certain wounds of mine had healed completely but it turns out they haven’t. And being around someone who can possibly understand that is a little more than I am prepared for today so…”  
  
“Right…” Robin nodded, still looking uncertain. “Well, in any case, it was nice to meet you.”  
  
She nodded. “It was nice to meet you too.” She reached out to squeeze his shoulder. “You are really doing a good job Robin. I wish you and your son the best.”  
  
Struggling to hold herself together, she carried Henry back to her car where she tucked him into his booster seat. Sitting behind the driving wheel, she flipped on the engine but didn’t move. She just sat there, running through the last fifteen minutes on a loop. Tears were running down her face before she knew it, her face starting to heat up as she let herself sob - her hands still gripping the driving wheel. What could she possibly do now that she’d seen him - seen them? That baby was her son but his father, Robin, he’d been through so much. He’d lost so much. How could she possibly tell him that he hasn’t been raising the last piece of his wife, he’s been raising a piece of her? How could she take that away from him?  
  
Taking a deep breath and trying to swallow her sobs, she glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Henry staring back at her, the worry clear in his hazel eyes. He was the last piece of Daniel that she had. If anyone tried to take him away from her, she’d crumble.  
  
As she wiped away her tears, a sense of determination fell over her. She knew what she had to do.  
  
\-------------------------------  
  
It was clear the fertility specialist hadn’t planned to see her. The way she jumped behind her desk, her eyes wide with surprise, proved that.  
  
“Ms. Mills. I wasn’t expecting to see you today.” She cleared her throat, trying to regain her bearings. “Are you here to talk about-”  
  
“What it’s going to take for me not to sue everything out from under you?” She sat in the chair across from her desk. “Yes, I am.”  
  
Taking a deep breath she stared the doctor down. “I’ve had my lawyers draw up a non-disclosure agreement. I will sign it and walk away from you and your clinic, leaving your coffers untouched and reputation unblemished under two conditions.”  
  
“And they are…?”  
  
“Anyone who had any hand in this incident must be immediately fired.”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
“Secondly… I want absolute certainty that you will give up on trying to contact the Locksley's.”  
  
“Ms. Mills-”  
  
“If they are unaware of your incompetence, then I would like it to remain that way,” she firmly replied. “I would like them to hold on to their peace for as long as possible. If they reach out to you in the future, I won’t retaliate.”  
  
The specialist thought over her offer and regarded her cautiously. “Ms. Mills, I feel the need to remind you what exactly you’re offering to do. This means no contact with the child in question. If the family doesn’t discover this on their own then they will never know that you’re the mother.”  
  
Regina shook her head. “I am not that child’s mother. You made certain of that.” She stood from her chair, staring down the specialist. “You made a mess of two families. I’m just trying to stop it from spreading any further. Now, do we have an agreement?”

The specialist stared at her for a moment before firmly nodding. “We have an agreement.”  
  
Regina doesn’t spare her another glance before walking out the door. Instead she keeps her eyes straight and her head high as she walks out of the fertility clinic, praying every step of the way that she is doing the right thing. 


End file.
